A cut above the ordinary-Maruti S Cross

A cut above the ordinary-Maruti S Cross

We are your typical average Indian family, hum do , hamare do.   "Hum do", - we both drive. And never the twain had agreed on any of our 6 car purchases thus far.Until we met the Swift Dzire in 2009. That vehicle took everything our growing family could throw at it.   And 5 years and 1,40,000 kilometers later, it was time for our new purchase. This time, we were both sure, we would be firmly Maruti shopping. But we yearned for a premium car this time. Hubby dearest was strongly leaning into the City camp, while I was impatiently waiting for the Brezza to be launched. One fine day, he walked into the Nexa showroom for a look see....he walked out with the 1.3 Alpha! Truly an impulse buy if there ever was one!   Now, keep in mind this is the better half of the couple writing this review. While I may not talk about the engine specifics, I can tell you it drives like a breeze on Indian Road conditions. We have thrown every possible road condition on it and the Maruti S Cross is a STURDY, HEAVY vehicle with beautiful ground clearance.   True, it's pretty much inconspicuous looks-wise. But look on the inside! Maruti has truly upgraded their interiors in the top end segment. The seating, the console, the dash - together all of it exudes a high class look and feel. The leather seats and steering wheel are perfectly fit with no wrinkles.   While washing the car, you realize that this vehicle is strongly built. The European build is evident in that the body isn't egg shell thin, tinny parts. Paint quality, panel gaps, all of it exude a quality unseen in other Maruti models.   The "hamare do" part of our family had, by now, morphed into teenage mutants who keep battling for space in the backseat. And the S Cross more than satisfies! There is ample backspace, leg space, and space for growing heads too!! Hardly any rocking or being thrown around the spacious back seat. One of the best features that I loved in S Cross is the contoured seating. Try it and you will never drive another!   The dash feels nice and fits well.The boot space, while not as much as the Dzire, is ample. And I like that it's in a single level.   While all of the above observations were made as a co-driver, let me tell you how I felt as a driver. You sit higher; hence the crossover feel.I love the seat height adjuster option. It's high time it is adapted into a standard feature in every car. You immediately feel home in the Maruti S Cross. Everything is placed intuitively. The wiper options, the instrument cluster, the dead pedal and the arm rest are well placed. I must say the dead pedal is a very nice touch. Simple, something you didn't know you loved till you tried it. The sensor buttons on the keypad are soft and not hard, plasticky types. Very good visibility through the windows and RVMs. The Apple car play is a great addition.   In short, it's a dream fit. We wanted a premium feel car/SUV from the Maruti stable. The Maruti SCross fits our family like the Three Bears cottage in Goldilocks. Everything that the four of us wanted seemed to have been met in the Maruti S Cross. And the Nexa experience has been great!!